As someone with two pets at home, I'm always keen to find new tips on how to remove dog hair from the washing machine. Having pets in the family is one of life's greatest joys, but finding their hair everywhere isn't so much fun.
While the best vacuum cleaners for pet hair are a real godsend when it comes to getting dog hair off your couch and floors, your appliances are a whole other story. There's nothing I hate more than doing a load of laundry only to hang my clothes up to dry and find they're still covered in fur.
The good news is that regardless of whether your pup is one of the dogs that sheds the most or light shedder, there are five simple things you can do to keep your washing machine fuzz-free. I'm sharing those below, plus some tips for protecting your washing machine from pet hair.
How to remove dog hair from your washing machine
If you have a canine companion in your life, you likely already know how quickly loose fur can accumulate on your clothes, bedding, and furniture. However, one place we often don't think about when it comes to pet hair is our washing machine.
It can be easy to think that washing clothes will remove all the fur, and to a certain extend, it does. But the hair that comes off your clothes has to go somewhere, and often it will accumulate in the drum of your washing machine. Fortunately, there are some simple steps you can take to get it looking sparkling clean again.
1. Vacuum the drum: The first thing you want to do when it comes to dealing with dog hair in your washing machine is to give the inside a vacuum. This may sound a little strange but using a vacuum with a crevice attachment can help to remove some of the hair from the tub and seal. Before you do this, leave the tub empty and the door open for 24 hours to dry your machine out.
2. Wipe it out: The next step is to give it a wipe down with a damp cloth. Do this after each load of laundry as this will help to remove as much fur as possible. You'll want to do the tub itself as well as the rubber seal as you'll be surprised how much fur can accumulate here.
3. Do an empty wash cycle: Running an empty wash cycle after you've wiped out the machine will help to get rid of any remaining fur that wasn't picked up by the damp cloth. There are specially designed washing machine cleaners (like this one) that you can use for this or you can simply add in your normal detergent.
4. Clean the drain pump filter: While all machines are slightly different in the way they're configured, if you can see a round dial next to the drain hose, that's the filter for the pump. It's worth removing this and giving it a clean as fur often gathers here and it can end up clogging the pump and preventing it from working properly. Give it a good rinse and remove any pet hair before securing it back into position.
5. Add a lint trap: Stainless steel or floating lint traps can be a brilliant weapon in the fight against dog hair. If your machine doesn't already have a built-in filter specifically for pet hair, try adding one of these into your next wash to help collect hair and fur.
How to protect your washing machine from pet hair
Pet hair can cause huge problems for your appliances, especially your washing machine and dryer. When dog fur gets wet, it will clump together and cling to your machine, not to mention that it has the potential to clog up your filter and drain.
The good news is, there are things you can do to protect your washing machine from pet hair. Here are a few of our favorites...
1. Brush your dog: Grooming your dog on a regular basis with one of the best dog brushes is the easiest way to keep your washing machine fur-free. Getting rid of all that loose hair means it won't make its way into the fibers of your clothing and as a result of that, it won't end up in your washing machine.
2. Use a pet washing bag: Pet hair can quickly build up inside your washing machine, causing damage over time. However, pet washing bags can be a great way to prevent fur from finding its way into your tub, filter and drains. Simply pop your pet's bedding and toys inside the bag and wash as normal.
3. Vacuum your home regularly: Vacuuming your floor and furniture on a regular basis will help to remove a lot of loose fur that might otherwise find its way into your washing machine.
4. Use a lint roller: Before popping clothing, rugs, bedding or any other fabric-based item into your washing machine, it can be useful to give it a run over with a lint roller first to get rid of any obvious dog fur. If you don't have a lint roller to hand, masking tape will do the job nicely.
5. Put your clothes in the dryer first: It may sound counterintuitive to dry your clothes before you wash them, but popping clothing in the dryer on a no-heat setting can help to loosen pet hair. This will then be collected in the lint screen instead of finding its way into your washing machine.
What is the best dryer setting to remove dog hair?
When it comes to removing dog hair from clothes, the dry-wash-dry method is the most effective. The first dry is to remove the dog fur itself and this is best done on a no-heat setting for around 10 minutes. This cycle will help to loosen and get rid of any hair on dry items and allow them to be trapped in your dryer's lint screen.
To keep your dryer clean and prevent dog fur from building up, regular maintenance after each load is recommended. This includes things like cleaning the lint trap and wiping the dryer with a damp cloth.
It's also worth using a lint roller or vacuum on all fabrics before you put them in the dryer as this will remove a lot of fur before you start your dry cycle. It may sound simple, but this can go a long way in extending the life of your dryer and prevent the vents from clogging.
Why do my clothes still have dog hair after washing?
There's nothing more frustrating than doing a load of laundry only to find that your now clean clothes still remain covered in dog fur. There are several reasons why this can happen:
1. Static: When your clothes are being washed, they create a lot of static electricity, which unfortunately acts like a magnet for hair. The static cling makes it tricky for the washing machine to do its job and remove the hair and instead it ends up clinging to the fabric.
2. Certain fabrics attract fur: Fabrics that are made from natural fibers (think cotton and wool) are less prone to holding onto pet hair, whereas synthetic fibers (like polyester) create a lot of static that causes those garments to attract and hold pet hair.
3. Overloading the machine: Yes, it's more convenient to fill your washing machine to maximum capacity, but unfortunately this can make it more difficult to remove the fur. When your machine is too full, the clothes can't move around as freely and the washing and rinsing cycles become less effective.
Read next: How to manage dog shedding and how to pet-proof a rental
Edited by Megan Milstead.
This page was last updated in June 2025 by Kathryn Williams.
